How the Cubs can stay alive in NLDS

LOS ANGELES — Of the 54 teams that have taken a 2-0 lead in a best-of-five series, only seven have blown it -- including the 1984 Cubs in the National League Championship Series against San Diego.

The Los Angeles Dodgers don't look like a team that's going to wilt in the spotlight, but stranger things have happened, as Leon Durham can attest.

But if the Cubs can bounce back and win Game 3 on Saturday night, they'll force the Dodgers to close it out Sunday or face the prospect of playing Game 5 at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. It's an uphill battle for the Cubs, but here are three things they need to stay alive.

A dominant Rich Harden

The right-hander has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 12 starts, giving the Cubs a chance to win almost every time out. But he also has walked 11 hitters over the last two starts, an ominous stat that can't be tolerated in Game 3.

Harden has never pitched against the Dodgers, so he'll be facing players who've never seen him before. That should be an advantage he can exploit, and pitching on eight days' rest should help too. Just don't pitch to Manny Ramirez.

"I've got all the confidence in the world in Rich that he'll give us an opportunity to win a baseball game," manager Lou Piniella said.

Big games from the Big 3

Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez have yet to drive in a run in the last two postseasons. That's amazing, considering the three have combined for 429 RBIs in the last two regular seasons.

The usually accommodating Ramirez, who was one of the stars of TBS' commercials touting postseason games, was conspicuously silent after the Game 2 loss at Wrigley Field. That's not a particularly good sign, especially when most of the other players who didn't contribute stood up and took their lumps, including Lee and Soriano.

Everyone has a bad game or two in the postseason, but Cubs fans are still waiting for the Big Three to have at least one shining moment. Soriano said Friday that Piniella's body language is easy to read, and there's no doubt the manager is waiting for his left fielder to show the stuff that earned him a $137 million contract. Lee is an acknowledged team leader, but he hit only five home runs with 34 RBIs after the All-Star break, and his lack of postseason production is glaring.

If the big guys can step up at the same time, the Cubs may find a pulse.

A lead for Kerry Wood

The bullpen hasn't distinguished itself in this year's postseason, just as it fell by the wayside in September. Carlos Marmol looked as shaky as he did last October, Jeff Samardzija looked green and Bob Howry has apparently been placed in the federal witness-protection program for the division series.

Piniella's decision to have Ryan Dempster available in the bullpen Saturday is curious, since he was their most valuable starter all season long and would logically be the guy for a potential Game 5. It shows the lack of faith Piniella seems to have in his late-inning relief corps, outside of Marmol and Kerry Wood.

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psullivan@tribune.com

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